6 on the Court -- unnoticed...

[BigCat]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

You're right Raymond. Now we finally have it directly from the horse's mouth (below).

From the IAABO Sportorials November/December 2017 issue, article entitled Rules Interpretations and Clarifications from NFHS In-Person Meeting (with Theresia Wynns, NFHS Basketball Rules Editor):

More than five players on the court not observed by officials:
- If Team A has more than five players on the court during a live
ball and the officials do not realize it, should the officials charge
Team A with a technical foul if the scorer notifies officials of the
infraction during the next dead ball period? Answer: No. An
on-court official must observe the excess number of players on
the court during a live ball and a team having more than five
players on the court during a live ball shall be penalized only if
the infraction is discovered while being violated.

An interpretation directly from from Ms. Wynns, the NFHS Grand Poobah, should put this issue to rest. Right?

If I can deduce(big word) that there were 6 on floor without taking scorer word for it I will penalize. I do not have to see it while ball is "live." Example, 6 on floor and we are oblivious. Horn sounded. Ball dead(no shot in air) if I see 6 I at that moment I will penalize. I don't think I have to discover it "while ball live." But I have to know personally that there were 6 while ball was live.